State Sen. David Boutin apologizes for lapse in judgment

CONCORD — Facing a Republican primary challenge, state Sen. David Boutin of Hooksett now has to answer for a video seemingly showing him intoxicated in a bar.

The video, which appears in two parts, was posted on the conservative Republican website, Granite Grok, but without any indication where it was shot or when. Boutin can be seen arguing with two bar patrons.

Boutin on Wednesday apologized to his constituents for the incident, which he said happened more than a year ago at the Asian Breeze in Hooksett.

“I got into a disagreement with two men who were bothering a woman. My immediate reaction was to defend the woman being badgered by the two men,” Boutin said. “I should have known better and walked away, but I did not exhibit good judgment and I apologize to my constituents about that.”

He pledged to work every day to keep and maintain his constituents’ trust.

In the first video released Monday (shown below), Boutin, who appears to be under the influence of alcohol, chastises the two men for “picking on a woman.” He repeatedly tells them, “You’re real tough, picking on a woman.”

During the video, one of the men questions if Boutin is a state representative or senator, but expresses disbelief, saying Boutin “should have been shut off three hours ago.”

In the second video released by Granite Grok on Tuesday (shown below), Boutin continually tells one of the men there is only one thing he cares about concerning women.

The commentary accompanying one of the videos notes that Boutin was driven home that night by someone; Boutin said that is true.

“I would add one other point about the video tape resulting from that incident,” Boutin said. “They may have improperly and illegally taped our conversation.”

Boutin faces former Rep. Jane Cormier of Hooksett in the Republican primary. Cormier recently moved from Alton to Hooksett to be closer to her business.

She has the backing of the Republican Liberty Caucus, which vowed to find primary challenges for all Republican state senators who voted for Medicaid expansion, which Boutin did.

The District 16 primary is hotly contested. Boutin recently complained that someone had been making late-night phone calls to constituents with their caller ID showing his campaign’s telephone number.

Boutin said he has no idea who might be behind the recent videos, but said it might be people who don’t want to see him reelected to the state Senate and are trying to discourage him.

Boutin said he continues to work hard, having knocked on more than 4,000 doors to meet and talk to people about their concerns. “The economy and jobs are important issues in this primary and in the general election,” Boutin said.

Although no Democrat filed to run in the District 16 race, Manchester attorney Maureen Raiche Manning — whose family has long roots in the city’s and state’s Democratic hierarchy — announced Wednesday she would run in the general election after waging a write-in campaign in the primary.